PM accepts NDMA vice-chief’s resignation

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) vice-chairman M Shashidhar Reddy, whose resignation has been accepted by PM Narendra Modi, Saturday said he was not asked by the government to put in his papers.

Reddy, who has been with the NDMA in various capacities since its inception in 2005, said he decided to resign when he saw reports of Home Secretary Anil Goswami calling up governors and asking them to quit.

“I made up my mind to resign after the new government came to power but there were certain things that were required to be done. I decided to hang on as there were reports of cyclone and other natural disasters. I put in my papers on June 16 and a couple of days later the other members were asked to quit by the home secretary. We have been asked to continue till new members arrive as it is an important body,” said Reddy, whose tenure was to end in December 2015.

The post of NDMA’s vice chairman is a constitutional post of the rank of a Cabinet minister.

Reddy said he met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the situation.